Internal bath



F. M. ROSS INTERNAL BATH July 2, 1940.

Original Filed July 8, 1937 a: 2 lllllllllllh. n

INVENTOR.

[5P4 NCEJMEOSS ATTORNEYS Patented July 2, 1940 UNITED STATES [INTERNALBATH Frances M. Ross, New York, N. Y.

Application July 8, 1937, Serial No. 152,479

Renewed March 8, 1939 3 Claims. 128-226) My invention relates toapparatus for internal baths, that is, apparatus in which a body ofliquid such as water or an aqueous solution is supplied to the internalorgans as, for example, rectally to the colon. I

In one type of apparatus heretofore used for the above purpose, theliquid is supplied under pressure to a nozzle from a flexible walledcontainer or reservoir such as a soft rubber container on which thenozzle is mounted and on which'the'user sits to' put the liquid underpressure. As the container must quite large, generally suifiicent tohold about four quarts, it was necessary to make its wallscorrespondingly strong 15 in order to sustain the pressure imposed on itwithout bursting. To this end the container or reservoir of suchapparatus has been generally reinforced with fabric. Apparatus of thistype was, therefore, of expensive construction. The mounting of thenozzle directly on the upper face of the reservoir as required forapparatus of the above apparatus had the further disadvantage of atendency to cause the rubber wall to bend sharply about the base of thenozzle with any movebetween these reservoirs for the disposal of wastewater or liquid.

In my invention the bath water is contained in a series of water bags ofrubber, or other resilient flexible material, from which it is suppliedto a connecting tube and thence to a nozzle which may be positioned at aconvenient position between the bags. A shut-off is also providedbetween the nozzle and the connecting tube so that 45 the flow of bathwater may be stopped or controlled. The bags and their connection to thenozzle are supported on any suitable base, preferably one having anopening between the bags through which waste water may fall.

In using the apparatus, the weight of the user is supported by the bagsso that each has only a section of the weight to support. The bags beingof less size thanv in the case of a single reservoir, enables a weakeror thinner walled or less expensively constructed container to be usedfor a given pressure per square inch on the contents of the bags.Consequently bags ofunreinforced rubber, as ior example, a hot waterbottle, may be used, to which the connecting tube may be connected by ascrew connection.

The various features of the invention are illustrated by way of examplein the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a plan View ofapparatus embodying a preferred form of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a view of a modified element of the apparatus.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, a pair offlexible walled bags l0 and H, such as hot water bottles of rubber orsimilar material, are supported on a fiat or approximately flat base i2.The bottles 10 and H are connected to each other by a connecting tube l3at the back of the apparatus, having at each end a screw connection [4which is screwed into the neck of its respective bottle in the same thusconnected, water may flow from each bottle into the connecting tube 13so that the total quantity available for one bath is the combined totalvolumes of the several bags. The pressures in the bags are equalized andwill be equal to that which would be obtained if the weight of the userwere supported on a single reservoir of an area equal to the combinedplane area of all bags.

Water is supplied from the connecting tube l3 to a branch tube l5 andthence through a shutoff Hi to the base of a nozzle l'l, which-is thuspositioned between the bags [0 and II. 'The tube 15 is preferably placednearer one bag than the other so that the shut-off I6 may be moreconveniently reached by the user when sitting on the bags and facingforwardly. The valve 16 may be of any suitable construction, that oneshown in the drawing being of a type commonly used in surgical rubbergoods and being opened by tilting to one side or the other.

The base [2 may be of any suitable rigid'material as, for example, woodor a molded composition such as ebonite, or a molded thermo-plasticmaterial. It is preferably turned upwardly at its side edges as at Isand I 9 to prevent sidewise overflow of water. A bay 20 is formed or outbetween the bags I0 and Il back to about the edge of the nozzle I! sothat waste water-may fall freely therethrough into a suitable containersuch as a toilet. The water bags H] and II, may

be secured or anchored to the base I 2 near its forward edge by anysuitable means such as snap fasteners 2! which enable the bags to .beremoved for other users, or to be replaced. They are held in position atthe back or necks of the bottles by the connecting tube i 3 and theupturned base edges l8 and 19. The usual stoppers 22 of the bottles maybe secured to the base l2, as shown, so as not to be lost.

It will be understood that the above apparatus is but one embodiment ofthe invention and that it may be embodied in other forms. For example, anozzle of the type shown in Fig. 3 may be used instead of nozzle 11.Also, other forms of base, bags, connecting tube, valve, etc., 'may beused.

' Through my invention I have provided an in ternal bath apparatus ofsimple, inexpensive parts, that may be conveniently and neatly used.

It also enables parts to be readily replaced when they become, worn orinjured.

M What I claim is: V

, 1; Internal bath apparatus which comprises a base member havingupturned side edges and a bay centrally located between said side edgesand extending inwardly from the front edge of the member towards therear edges to provide for the drainage of fluid from the base, a pair offlexible fiat walled water bags, means adjacent the front edge on eachside of the said bag to detachably secure the said water bags onto saidbase member, a nozzle secured on the said base .and another end having astopper to the other of said bags to place said bags in communication, aconnector on said tube, an upstanding nozzle betweensaid bags on saidconnector to supply said nozzle jointly from said bags when pressure isapplied to the bags while on said base.

3. In an internal bath apparatus having a supporting base, thecombination of a pair of separate and independent, fiat,flexible-walled, water bottles or bags to rest in horizontal,approximately parallel spaced relation on said base, said water bagshaving necks and to place said bags in communication,' a connector onsaid tube, an upstanding nozzle between said bags onsaid connector tosupply said nozzle jointly from said bags when pressure is applied tothe bags while on said base and a control valve in said connector. I

FRANCES M. ROSS.

